"Tuesday, April 10, 1906 [underlined] In the last few days, some ethnographic objects came into my possession: ear ornaments of the Masai. They are made of clay and smeared with red clay. The latter is mixed with cattle tallow, and the items emit a terrible smell. Into the clay, some blue and white glass beads are embedded. Hair serves as tassels. 1 piece = 25 Heller [Drawing] Bells as they are worn around the Goma [dance]. Well over 50 pieces arranged on a strip of fur. All handmade and hammered from round iron sheets. For 50 bells I paid 3 Rupie 75. [Two detail drawings]" [translation]

50 Heller / Stk

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 46 (115)
author: Karl Braun

"69. Masai ear jewellery, made of red clay & suet. Some blue & white glass beads are embedded. As tassel some hair / 1 pc = 25 heller / Amani 10 April 1906 / TB [diary]. 46,115 [drawing]"

source: Museen Stade, r 2018 / 18566
author: Karl Braun

In 1934, the former director of the Biological Imperial Institute for Agriculture and Forestry (Biologische Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft) Karl Braun (1870–1935) gave the so-called “Kolonialsammlung Braun” (Colonial Collection Braun) to the Hanseatic City of Stade, or rather its representative, the then mayor Hans Arthur Meyer (1884–1961). See the file „Transfer of a colonial collection from the senior government councillor Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade to the City of Stade” („Überlassung einer Kolonialsammlung vom Oberregierungsrat Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade an die Stadt Stade") at the Lower Saxony State Archives Stade (Niedersächsischen Landesarchiv Standort Stade).

source: Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv Standort Stade, Dep. 10 Nr. 03025

In 1997, the then city archivist Jürgen Bohmbach concludes a permanent loan agreement with the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.), for which the then director Gerd Mettjes signs. Thereafter, the collection from Karl Braun is transferred to the care of the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.).

source: Museen Stade, Vereinbarung Leihgabe "Brauns'sche Kolonialsammlung"

I: Okay thanks, now let's discuss on the last photo so we can continue with other activities, I have another photo registered with the number 2018_18238_1, can you remind me the name of this thing? R1: This is a Maasai custom that when a child starts to grow from childhood to the youth when taken for circumcision, he was worn with this thing and hanged on his neck, he wears it on the first and second day and the following days it was removed and given to another children, this was not something to last for it, it was only worn for that period. I: When he was going where? R1: When he goes for circumcision there was a type of animal escorting them for instance a goat which they called it ‘lailibono’, that day is called ‘orikitukubene’, he was worn with this one after the goat is slaughtered, so these poles were removed hence in real sence people said it was a lie but we had not seen that, we had only seen the process to continue with, it is like a soft fruit. I: What was that tree called? R1: It was called ‘olikimogiki’, so it was drilled, and a thread was put until it was complete. I: What kind of thread was used to put in? R1: It was scraped ‘igonoti skin’, a sheep skin. I: A sheep skin? R1: Yes, once it is put, she wears it after the circumcision, on that day songs will be sang wearing it and sleeping with it on that night, songs will be singing without wearing even a single piece of clothing, and this will be worn on the neck. I: Without having any clothes? R1: You were completely naked and stayed in the cold until morning at 0600hrs, you were tested your courage if you were ready to accept the knife to cut you with no injection and without complaining, and that was the day everything was going to be removed, hence these were done to test the courage you had. I: So, was it only for the young men? R1: Yes, to any boy, and even the girls but they did not take off their clothes, infact they were not allowed, and they were not sung a song at all. I: The one who was sung was the boys only? R1: Yes, it was only the boys, you were only tomented to get angry such that you wake up very early in the morning to struggle with the knife of the person circumcising, there was no injection and you remained naked until 0600hrs in the morning, now that was when you were seen if you were not afraid with the knife. I: So, after he was circumcised, he was dressed out? R1: Yes, he was dressed out. I: On that same day? R1: Yes, he was removed and given to the laiyoni group. I: What was the significance of number two? R2: You know in the past when a young man was not circumcised for a long time, it was when he was doing strange things like killing or doing recklessly things, so that thing came to be useful that when waking up in the morning some certain water was washed to him, and this removed all these. I: What kind of water was that? R2: This was not a boiled water; it was cold and there was a certain metal used to keep this water. I: What was that metal called? R2: It was called ‘endolu’, others were calling it ‘ondido’, when washed with the cold water and removing all the bad things, or by saying he won’t repeat doing all the childhood things when he was a child by asking for forgiveness, that he will stop them since he was not circumcised and now he has become a real man, you can do any kind of work and there were other thing you were not allowed to eat, on that day you were washed and as a man you were not required to eat anything that was not eaten in our Maasai society, this was a sin because in our Maasai tradition we said we were trying to stop the things done in the youth period. I: Oups! It’s a long story, so it was like putifying all what was done by him? R2: Absolutely yes. I: So, when he was out from there, he became clean? R2: Yes, completely clean. I: Fine, and who were washing them? R1: The washing was not done by an elder person, but he was circumcised, the water was put with a piece of metal axe with a small wooden handle, the metal was like a bicycle pedal that was sharpened and became completely sharp, so the water was taken and put on a cold place. I: Was it on a tree or on what? R1: On top of a house and it was protected by someone, a person was kept to care for the water, they were kept from 2000hrs at night to get cold until 0600hrs in the morning, they were not boiled and what made the water to become very cold was the piece of metal, now when going out of the boma to be circumcised the water was poured to him from the head and he was not allowed to complain that the water is cold, he should feel it like hot water and then he gives one kick to the sufuria, so after the water was poured to him then the young man was advising him to kick using this leg only. I: Which leg? R1: The left foot was the one used to kick the sufuria, you could not kick it with the right foot. I: What was the meaning of the kicking using with the left foot? R1: That was like a certain offensive things done which were meaningless when you were in a childhood, like killing for nothing, hence it was good to kill something that was suitable for eating, but if you killed something like a donkey, cat or a zebra which is not eaten, that means you were trying to clean up what happened from that dull group and now you are moving to a brave group, so you kick the sufuria with the left leg then you run to the doctor who is going to circumcise you, hence those were the traditions and customs of the Maasai society procedures. I: Fine, and who were making them? R1: This was prepared by a woman, and she was the one who guards it until the morning, she was guarding it from it was kept from 2000hrs upto 0600hrs it ws when she was handing it over to concerned person, she should not leave the water alone because they were not supposed to be touched at all. I: A woman was the one guarding it until an elder man came to take and hand it over to the laiyoni to pour the water to the young man. I: Until now, are these still in practice? R1: That is still in practice. I: Okay. R1: Nowadays people are being removed in groups, so after three years they will start again because you know the age groups once it has been removed it can take up to six or seven years, so after people have been cut there is no more circumcision until the next years of circumcision. I: Until the six years are finished again? R1: Yes, until the seven years are finished, and people are growing up and their minds are getting mature, so that group is starting again, nowadays they are giving three to four years for circumcision, when it is four years the elders will see that we are going to circumcise people for four years continuously, they are going to interfere with the young children who are not suitable to be circumcised, so it was decided to close it completely until other years so that people can grow well and be mentally ready to be circumcised again. I: Okay maybe let’s finish with number three, give us a little history of olimokogiki, welcome number three. R3: You know these ones have already explained well because they are prepared during the time of circumcision, so they have already explained. I: Okay, number four, is it the same or you have something to add? R4: They have explained well because they went through the same situation called olimokogiki which was worn during the circumcision of the Maasai young man, because this was twice, at the time of circumcision a bull was slaughtered and it was blessed, the second one was olimokogiki which was used from a ram, that was when it was done so that the circumcision can take place, so they have explained well because you use it until the day of circumcision, you stay with it for two days and then it is finished, at that time it is already over. I: So that ram was slaughtered before circumcision or after circumcision, number four please tell us? R4: Before circumcision, so if today is the day of circumcision, then yesterday the bull was blessed, and on the second day the ram was slaughtered and used, on the third day you go for circumcision, that is how the Maasai customs and traditions were. I: Okay thank you very much number four, you have spoken a little information, that is why it was important to do it in a group like this, when one forgets, another one reminds, okay so I should take this opportunity to thank you, we have discussed many photos and time has run, I know there are others remaining, but we will continue because we have other groups coming, I believe we will get this information, so I thank you for your time, thank you very much for the good explanations, I came to love this work because now I know the traditions and customs of people, so I thank you very much for your time. R: ALL: Okay. I: Thank you very much. R: ALL: Alright.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Massai Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 06
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1-4: Anonymous